


Charming the Southern Belle Part 1

by Blitzkrieg47



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 10:54:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14354010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blitzkrieg47/pseuds/Blitzkrieg47
Summary: This is the first part of my proposed three part series exploring the early stages of Gambit and Rogue's relationship.  In part one: Gambit is haunted by an event from his past, dealing with his new X-Men teammates and trying to solve the mystery that is Rogue.





	Charming the Southern Belle Part 1

Gambit tosses and turns in his bed, a nightmare gripping him. Loud screams echoing within his ears. Blood splattering the walls. Bodies hitting the floor. A massacre. He can’t believe what he is seeing. “What have I done?”  
“Wake up, Cajun!” roars a voice out of nowhere.  
Gambit snaps awake. Standing in the doorway is the man who has quickly become his least favorite teammate: Wolverine.  
“Get dressed,” orders Wolverine. “Xavier wants all X-Men reporting to the control room.”  
Confusion engulfs Gambit’s face. “Huh?”  
“Are you deaf?”  
The Cajun shakes his head.  
“Then get your butt out of bed and dressed, bub!” He then stormed away in a huff.  
Gambit throws his legs over the side of his bed and plants his face in the palm of his hands, slowly running them through his long, brown hair. “It’s happening again,” he tells himself. The moment that continues to haunt him. He wishes he could go back and make a different decision, but the past, something he knows all too well, can’t be changed.  
“Don’t let Logan get you down, sugah,” says a sweet, southern voice.  
This quickly causes the Cajun to forget his worries and put him at ease. He slightly twists his head, catching sight of the vision of beauty standing feet away from him. The brunette with the mysterious white streak. But the biggest mystery of all is the woman herself. Known only by one name: Rogue. “I’m fine, chere.”  
“Ya sure?” she asks.  
“Oui.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“Pardon moi,” he says, forgetting he’s not in New Orleans anymore. “Oui means yes in French, chere.”  
A chuckle escapes her. “Well why don’t you say that?”  
He flashes a grin, the same one he’s used in the past to make women weak in the knees. “Cause most women love it.”  
Rogue shakes her head, rolling her eyes. “Sorry ta disappoint,” she says, “but Ah ain’t most women. So quit tryin’ ta impress me and get dressed, swamp rat!”  
With a flick of her hair, she disappeared from the doorway, leaving Gambit alone once again. As he reached down to grab one of his boots, he laughs. “Guess I’m gonna need t’work a little harder on convincin’ dat one.”  
Later on in the control room, every single member of the X-Men gather before Prof. Xavier.  
“Good morning everyone,” says Prof. Xavier. “I’ve gathered you all here to announce that effective immediately that due to our increasing numbers, you all will be split into two teams: blue and gold. The blue team will be led by Cyclops, while the gold team will be led by Storm.”  
“How are we going to split the teams?” asks a hairy blue beast, who coincidentally is known as Beast.  
“Scott and Ororo will take turns picking,” replies Prof. Xavier. “Staring now.”  
Cyclops looks at Storm and motions his right hand out. “Ladies first.”  
“Thank you,” she says. “Jean.”  
Shock fills the room. Gambit doesn’t blame them. After all, Cyclops and Jean are married. If any two would be on the same team, it’d be them.  
Jean walks towards Storm, giving a longing look at Cyclops before settling next to her team leader.  
“Your turn, Scott,” says Storm.  
“Logan,” says Cyclops.  
This decision is even more shocking than the last. Although he hadn’t been with the X-Men long, Gambit picked up on the rivalry between Cyclops and Wolverine. Whether it was their disagreement over leadership or the affection of Jean, these two didn’t like each other. And now they are going to have to coexist on the same team.  
Wolverine snorts and then stomps over to Cyclops. The two engage in an intense stare down.  
Before anything could transpire, Storm interrupts by making her next selection. “Colossus.”  
From here, the order went this way: Psylocke, Archangel, Rogue, Iceman and Beast. All that remained was Bishop and Gambit.  
In his mind, Gambit knew he’d be picked by Storm. And why wouldn’t he be? He did save her life. And she was the one who brought him into the X-Men. It only made sense.  
“My final pick is Bishop,” says Storm.  
“Ce que l’enfer?” says Gambit to himself. He can’t believe that Storm, the only friend he has, passed him up.  
“And I’ll take Gambit,” says Cyclops.  
Gambit puts Storm’s betrayal out of his mind and heads over to join his new team. Even though the team was testosterone heavy, it did have, in Gambit’s mind, the two hottest women on the team: Psylocke and Rogue. But only Rogue seemed to fancy Gambit. Something about her intrigued the Cajun and always brought a smile to his face.  
On the same token, the southern belle could care less about any affection given. He notes this. Yet another mystery surrounding the woman with one name. A mystery he plans on solving.  
“What about me?” asks a little girl wearing a yellow trench coat and pink sunglasses. Jubilee is her name.  
The only things Gambit knew about her was that she was the youngest member of the X-Men and had a firecracker personality. Of course, that attitude fit perfectly with her mutant power.  
“Yes, Jubilee?” asks Prof. Xavier.  
“Am I going to be a part of one of the teams?” she asks.  
“Well you see Jubilee,” says Cyclops. “You are still rather young and not ready to face the dangers that you are sure to encounter outside these walls.”  
“Please,” she begs. “Just give me a chance. I know I can help.”  
Help. The word burns like an iron in the back of Gambit’s mind. It was that very word that landed him in trouble in the first place. It’s the word that caused him to make a deal with the devil. But that was neither here nor there. He puts his past behind him to focus on Jubilee. The professor was right that she was young and he may be right about her not being ready. Of course, how can one know if they never try? Gambit knew that all too well. He learned that lesson quickly growing up in the thieves’ guild. “Pardon moi.”  
Everyone turns their attention towards the Cajun.  
“We’ll take, petit,” he says.  
“This isn’t a joke, Gambit,” says Cyclops.  
Gambit points to his face. “Do I look like I’m kiddin’?”  
Cyclops grits his teeth.  
This is Cyclops’ tell Gambit has picked up on. Like with Wolverine, he knows Scott doesn’t like his authority to be challenged, especially by a newcomer.  
Before Cyclops could do any reprimanding, he is interrupted by Rogue. “Ah think it’s a wonderful idea.”  
Everyone stares blankly at her. Even Gambit is taken aback by this.  
“Jubilee has been with us for some time,” says Rogue. “Ah believe it’s high time she’s givin’ a shot.”  
“Now listen here…” starts Cyclops.  
“Actually, Scott,” interrupts Prof. Xavier. “I agree with Gambit and Rogue. Jubilee does deserve the opportunity to prove herself in the field. Therefore I’m assigning her to your team. End of story.”  
“Professor a word.”  
Silence falls over the room as Prof. Xavier and Cyclops stare at each other. Thanks to his encounter with Jean, Gambit figured out that the two are having a conversation via telepathy. “Wonder wh’s being said?” he wonders.  
More time passes until Cyclops nods and faces the blue team. “Welcome to the team Jubilee.”  
Jubilee jumps for joy.  
“But this is no party!” snaps Cyclops. “This is serious business! Understood?”  
Jubilee nods.  
“Now that that is settled,” says Prof. Xavier. “Gold team report to the x jet. Blue team to the danger room. Dismissed.”  
As all the X-Men file out of the room, Gambit is stopped by Jubilee. “Can I help you, petit?”  
Without warning, she wraps her arms around him, squeezing as hard as she could. “Thank you.”  
“It twas nothin’.”  
“Whatever you say,” she says. “It was still nice of you.”  
Gambit touches Jubilee’s chin and nudges her head up. “Hey us orphans must stick together.” He then flashed a smirk.  
Jubilee smiles and nods. “We better hurry to the danger room.”  
“I’ll be right behind you.”  
Jubilee headed off to catch up with the others.  
Gambit starts to follow.  
“That was sweet of you,” says a voice behind Gambit.  
Gambit whips around and sees Rogue cross armed, leaning against the wall. “I told you I have my moments.”  
“Too bad you can’t have them all the time.”  
He walks towards her until he is a few feet away, using his left arm to lean against the same wall. “So wh’ you’re sayin’ is we should be hangin’ out more often.”  
Rogue chuckles. “Is that how your Cajun mind works?”  
“Only when I’m ‘round you, chere.”  
“Well do yourself a favor and put it on lockdown,” she says. “Before Ah knock you down.”  
He smirks. “Whatever you say, chere.”  
Rogue walks past him, stopping at the entrance to glance back. “And can you please stop callin’ me chere!” she snaps. “It was cute at first, but now it’s gettin’ on my last nerve!”  
“Ok,” he says.  
She turns and exits the room.  
He smirks again. “Chere.”  
The end.


End file.
